Nightmare on Beldora
by Ichabod Ebenezer
Summary: The Doctor has always wanted to see Beldora's famous auroras, and brings Lucie Miller along for the trip. When he discovers that anyone who views the auroras directly goes homicidally mad, he's determined to see them for himself to figure out why. Will the Doctor's mind snap like all the others, or will he get to the bottom of this murderous mystery?
1. Chapter 1

The TARDIS doors creaked open, and the Doctor stuck his head out. He breathed in deeply. "Good job old girl, that's Beldora for sure! Come on, Lucie! You don't want to miss this!"

"Beldora, eh?" Lucie asked, stepping out of the TARDIS in a thick wool coat and closing the doors. "So why are we here? Got an alien menace needs stopping? An evil dictatorship in want of overthrow?"

"Not at all! Just another item off my bucket list. I've always wanted to see Beldora, and it just felt like the time was right."

"You mean there's still places out there you've never seen? For once you won't be the tour guide pointing out all the attractions until inevitably you say, 'Hang on, that's not right,'" she said, mimicking his voice.

The Doctor laughed. "Is that what you think I do? Well, not this time. I've never gotten the chance to see it for myself. I'm entirely new to this one."

"Hah! Naked as a babe, same as me. This'll be a lark."

"Right. Now, this should be Lahai, on the edge of the Arctic Expanse. Are you ready to explore it together?" He offered his elbow, and Lucie took it. The two set a brisk pace through the streets of the metropolis.

The city appeared to have a busy tourist trade. Self-flying cars took visitors from the hotel balcony of any one of a dozen high-rises directly to their destination.

"Very clever," the Doctor said. "The grid controls everything! The passengers tell the car where they're heading, and the grid gives it a flight plan that avoids all the other cars. They're all buzzing about like insects, but none of it's random — the queen controls everything!"

"Oy! I thought you agreed there'd be no tour-guiding."

"Sorry about that. Force of habit I suppose. Tell you what. On the way back, you choose the restaurant. Every one of them is five diamonds. I hear you can't go wrong."

"On the way back? From what?"

"The main attraction! The reason we came here! The Nightmare Auroras!"

Lucie stopped. "The what?" But the Doctor was paying no attention, continuing on toward the docks.

She caught back up to him just as he stepped into a pavilion on the boardwalk. "See the Auroras! Live the Nightmare!" proclaimed the banner over the doors. Inside, several competing companies were offering cruises across the polar region between the two continents. Lucie suddenly understood why the tourist trade was booming here. The images that brought in customers were easily the most beautiful Lucie had ever seen.

"Blimey!" she said.

"Well put. They should write that on the travel brochure," the Doctor teased.

She paid him no mind. "I thought it would be like on Earth! Like in Norway or whatever, mind you, I've never even seen those. But the colors!"

"Go on, pick a company," he said, pulling out a coin purse. "You decide who we go with this time."

"What? And you'll buy a ticket? Isn't stowaway usually more your style?"

"Well, the man's got to make a living. I don't think it will hurt causality if we pay our way just this once. Remember I've never been here before. I'm not interfering in their history, I'm just sight-seeing."

"Okay, that one then. The queue is short, but not so short you think people are avoiding them. Hey, why do they call them 'Nightmare Auroras?' They look flippin' gorgeous to me."

"I don't know, but I'm keen to find out! We'll ask the gentlebeing in the booth. Let's hope reality meets the expectations I've set in my mind's eye all these lives!"

They waited their turn, then the Doctor stepped up to the attendant. "Two for the midnight crossing, my good being. You take Inalian Kroner, yes?"

"We do," said the attendant, typing with two of its long asparagus-toned arms while another reached out and slid the Doctor's coins closer, deftly counting them before sliding one back.

"Excellent!" the Doctor responded. "Tell me, do we reserve our deck chairs here, or once we get aboard the ship?"

The attendant stopped typing. "By Beldoran law, passengers are required to stay below decks during a transit, doubly so at night."

The Doctor laughed incredulously. "What? Then how are we to see the auroras?"

The attendant indicated several of the packages on sale. "The entire transit will be recorded from several angles for your convenience. You can take drinks in the lounge to watch on any of the monitors, or you can purchase your favorite angle. For an extra charge, you can bring home a holographic representation of the complete night sky."

"Look, mate. We could have caught the reruns on telly. Why pay for the voyage if we can't see it first hand?" Lucie demanded.

The Doctor nodded his agreement.

"To be able to say that you survived the transit, of course! And the recreation that you take home will be recorded during your transit. No two are alike, you know."

"What do you mean '_survive_ the transit?' Are there sharks or something? You never mentioned sharks, Doctor."

The attendant smiled. "No, of course not. The indigenous lifeforms are perfectly harmless, and our ships are the height of luxury. Your view of the auroras on the monitors will have all of the beauty they're known for, without the slightest risk of going homicidally mad."

"Hang on, that's not right," the Doctor said.

"Ah! See there? You said it!" Lucie said, pointing an accusatory finger at the Doctor.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," the attendant said, looking back and forth between the two.

Lucie turned back to him. "I'm sorry, could you just say that last bit again?"

"I said there's no risk whatsoever, neither to you personally, nor from any of the other passengers. Everyone will be safely locked below for the duration of the transit."

"Yes, but you did say, mad, right? Homicidally mad?" Lucie asked again.

"What my friend means, is, how does that work? You can watch a video, but you can't look at it directly?"

"That's it precisely. The auroras only have this effect when viewed directly. The cameras appear to filter out whatever drives one crazy."

"Naturally. But surely you've been visited by hundreds of species, and not all of them process light the same way…"

"Thousands, in fact, and in the early days of the settlement, many of them believed they would be immune to the effects, but invariably they succumbed and proceeded to murder anyone they could before killing themselves. Laws have since been passed to protect the general public."

"But surely you've tried sunglasses? UV filters?"

"Sir, everything that can be tried has been exhausted, I assure you."

The Doctor scratched at his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I can't say I'm not a little disappointed, but what can you do? Two tickets for the transit, and throw in one of those T-shirts."

They concluded their business and left the booth.

Lucie leaned in toward the Doctor. "That wasn't like you to give up so easily. Are you really going to be content watching the video?"

"Emphatically no. But, that's what the sonic screwdriver is for, isn't it? Come on Lucie, we should have time for a quick stop at the TARDIS before we're due to board."


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor emerged from the TARDIS with a length of hempen rope in a dozen coils, bound across the middle. He examined it briefly, then threw it over his shoulder. "Yes, that ought to do."

"A rope? I thought you'd have special goggles or a welder's helmet or something."

"No, it sounds as if they've explored that option, and besides, isn't that the point of beauty? To see it with your own eyes? Not filtered through the lens of someone else's experience, or the more literal lens of the ships monitors? No, I intend to witness the aurora firsthand, and like Odysseus before me, I ask that my faithful crew—that being you—lash me to the mast so I can experience the full deadly beauty firsthand."

"Hang on, now. If I remember The Odyssey right, those sirens made you fall in love and want to go to them, not make you go nuts and murder your crew! How do you know you can come back from this?"

"First off, I'm a Time Lord, and I doubt any of my kind have been visitors to this planet in the past. I may very well be immune to whatever effect the aurora has."

"And second?"

"Secondly—well, I don't like to brag—"

"Oh, yes you do."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes, but his lips flickered upward in the barest of smiles. "Secondly, I've had a lot of practice defending my mind against attacks, and I've gotten rather good at it. If I succumb to this madness—and that's a very big if—well, the effects should surely be temporary."

They made their way to the ship and handed over their boarding passes. A porter showed them to their room where a hologram played illustrating emergency procedure and mapping out their muster location.

The Doctor payed very little attention, and Lucie quizzed him on it afterward. His only response was to ask, "Did they mention the procedure for when you're strapped to the mast and start feeling a bit murderous?"

"That's not funny."

A bell rang, and they proceeded to the common area, which was currently set up for dining. The sensation of motion began as the ship got underway. The rest of the passengers filtered in, mostly in couples, though there was one large family with a dozen children.

The captain's robotic voice came over the public address. "Those who haven't assembled in the common room should do so now, as dinner is about to be served, and tonight's dish is a local favorite, Arctic mussels in Tandre sauce. The vegetarian option is pureed alcor root with trolpot syrup. The voyage is underway as we speak. The seas ahead look a little choppy, but we should get our first glimpse of the auroras in about two hours. Please enjoy."

Like the ship's captain, the servers were all robotic, as were the rest of the crew they'd seen so far. This was presumably so that they could service the ship above deck in an emergency without fear of madness.

The mussels were fantastic, as was the company. Some of the children were initially quite noisy, but the Doctor showed them a 'magic trick' with his pocket watch, and afterward they all sat and ate peacefully, much to the surprise of their parents.

Once they had finished the main course, the Doctor doubled over in his chair.

"What's the matter?" Lucie asked.

"Nothing serious, I'm sure, I just suddenly don't feel very well," he said with an apologetic look around the table.

One of the robotic servers rolled up next to him, and a syringe extended from its index finger. "Perhaps I can offer you a proton pump inhibitor, or a gastro-analgesic?"

"No, no. I'm sure it's just a bit of sea sickness. It's been so long since I've been aboard a ship."

"I have an antihistamine that may help with your nausea," the robot continued.

"That's not necessary. All I need is a good lie down. Lucie, could you help me to our room?" the Doctor said, standing.

Lucie rushed to his side. "Oh, Doctor, we'll have you right as rain. Don't worry, there's a telly in the room, you won't miss a moment of the auroras."

He put an arm around her shoulder, and she helped him out of the room, but the moment they were out of sight, he stood up and walked with renewed purpose. "Selling it a bit too much back there, weren't we?" the Doctor said.

"You're one to talk. Next time I'll just let the robot jab you a few times first, how about that?"

They got to their room, and the Doctor retrieved his rope. "This will have to be good and tight. It won't do to have me escaping mid-journey, and I've studied with Houdini. Let me show you a couple knots—"

"Nuh-uh. My uncle was a fisherman, and I had two older brothers. I know my way around knots."

"If you're sure," the Doctor said. They made their way to the hatch leading above decks. He checked his pocket watch. "According to our captain, we have another hour before we're in range of the auroras. That should give you plenty of time to strap me in and get back below. Now watch how I do this, because you'll need to reset the alarm once you are safely back, alright?"

She nodded, and he pulled out his sonic screwdriver. Just to the left of the hatch was a junction box which popped open under his sonic. "This wire here, then this wire here, yes? That should convince the ship that the hatch is still sealed. Do that in reverse order when you get back."

"Got it," Lucie said.

He handed her the rope while he climbed the ladder, and he used the sonic on the hatch and pushed it open. He climbed out, and held a hand out for the rope. Lucy passed it out and followed him up the ladder.

When she got to the top, the Doctor slipped the sonic screwdriver into her jacket pocket and turned, looking for a suitable place to ride out the journey. "Ah, there. The telemetry tower." He headed briskly toward a tall, slender pole with a rotating dish at its summit, supported by guy wires on three sides. He started unraveling the rope along the way.

"You've got to cover me shoulder to toe, and make sure to both tie my wrists and bind my arms down. Don't give me any wiggle room, or I'll be out of here in minutes."

"Trust me, Doctor. I know knots you haven't got names for. You aren't going anywhere."

In the end, she wrapped him in coils and tied up at wrist, ankle, elbow, and neck. He tested it for a bit, and pronounced it good.

"Alright. You'd better head back now before you're missed. Don't forget to reset the security. Come back for me an hour after we've gone past the auroras."

"What do I do if I get here and you're stark raving bonkers?"

"Have I ever shown you the fast return switch on the TARDIS console?" the Doctor asked.

"No," Lucie said.

"Well, let' hope you don't need it then."

"Good luck, Doctor. Stay sane." Lucie ran back to the hatch, and took a last look at the Doctor before shutting him out.

* * *

Lucie got below deck, locked the hatch, and reset the alarms. She pocketed the sonic screwdriver and made her way to the common room. Gone were the dining tables; in their place were couches upholstered in a faux fur of some sort. Monitors suspended from the ceiling over each, with one large monitor covering the forward wall.

Cocktails were being served by a robotic bartender, and another wheeled around the room offering hors d'oeuvres. Most of the other passengers were spaced around a couple monitors on the port side of the room showing a fantastic view of a sunset full of oranges and pinks, tinged with a hint of green. Lucie picked up a flute of something like champagne and joined the other passengers, though her eyes were drawn immediately to some dark clouds gathered at the right edge of the screen.

One of the servant robots rolled to a stop next to Lucie. Her eyes flicked away from the screen for a moment, and she reached a hand over to take a canapé. As it started to roll off again, she hit on a sudden thought. "Oy, canapé-bot. Are you programmed with general ship knowledge, or do you just serve the food?"

The robot stopped, and its head swiveled toward her, a polite smile appearing on its face screen. "I am here to respond to all passenger needs and desires. If I cannot fulfill your request, I will forward it to someone who can."

"Yeah, yeah. Listen, do you know what the weather forecast is for tonight?"

"We'll have smooth sailing until aurora-rise, when we'll meet with strong southerly winds. Monsoon conditions have been reported to the east and south, but our path will skirt the outer reach of the storm, and there will be clear views of the auroras off our starboard side. I've been told an active sea means active auroras, so you should be in for a treat. The temperature will reach a low of eight zeljam midway through our—"

"How closely are we going to skirt that storm? Will it be raining? Will there be swells?"

The smile changed to a serious, though reassuring line. "The Honrak of Lahai is a top of the line vessel and serviced regularly. There is zero chance it will leak. If you are worried about any motion sickness, I can offer you an antihistamine—" It extended its left arm as it spoke, and a glistening needle protruded from its index finger, but Lucie held up a hand.

"No, I won't be needing that, thank you."

The robot continued on, weaving its way through the passengers. Lucie chewed on her lower lip and watched the slowly turning storm, the canapé and champagne entirely forgotten in her hands.

* * *

Lucie sat alone on one of the couches. She had long since accosted a canapé-bot to switch the nearest monitor to a forward facing camera. Her mood reflected the storm that filled the screen. Her attention was occasionally pulled away as the rest of the passengers ooowed and aaahed over the magnificent view to the north which were made large on the main monitors. Alternate views of the auroras filled all the other screens in the lounge.

They were properly incredible too—shimmering curtains of light in colors ranging from deep purple to light green; these were at least reminiscent of the auroras she'd seen pictures of back on Earth. However, there was so much more to the Nightmare Auroras. Bursts of light, like fireworks spread across the sky in a multitude of colors. Jagged bolts of lightning in blues and reds split the sky and were gone again, leaving a pale glow in their wake that seemed to drift on the wind. The seas mirrored the tones above, but the waves made incredible patterns, like Jackson Pollack's tie-dye dream of the sky.

Lucie tore her attention away once more, watching the ship's prow weave up and down. The sun had long set, but the clouds which towered above and dropped nearly to sea level were illuminated by the light of the auroras, and internally by lightning. Was she hearing rain? She wished the other passengers would shut up so she could say for sure. The deck was absolutely shifting though. There was some sort of artificial gravity that minimized the effect for the passengers, but the path of the camera proved it.

How could she have left the Doctor out there? Were the ropes getting wet? Would they stretch in the rain? Would they shrink? Those seemed to be the options, either she had cut off circulation to his hands and feet, or he was easily free by now.

She watched the bow of the ship dip again, almost vertically before the storm came into view once more. He'd be swept over the side! Or did their artificial gravity extend above decks too? That would be handy, but she doubted it.

A robot whirred past, and she shot out an arm to stop it. "Hey! Can I get a view to the west now?"

"The majority of the aurora activity will be to the north and northeast. You can find splendid views on our many monitors—"

"I don't care about the auroras, I want to see the rest of the ship! Can you turn the camera around?" Several of the passengers looked their way disapprovingly at Lucie's shouting.

The robots voice remained infuriatingly pleasant. "The camera you are viewing on is normally only for navigation purposes, and is stationary by design. Allow me to switch to our stern camera for you."

The monitor flickered for a moment, then came back up. The robot continued on its way to the main group of passengers. Now displayed on the monitor was a view of the sea off the back of the ship. Much too far back to show the Doctor.

"Bloody hell," she said. She looked around for any of the other robots, and seeing none, she got up and left the lounge area.

"Thinks he's bloody Odysseus out there, taking on the storm while tied to the mast! Well, Odysseus didn't lock his crew below decks, did he, Doctor?" Lucy yelled into the empty corridor. She stopped at the hatch, looking at the alarm box currently blinking green. She pulled the sonic screwdriver out of her pocket, switched the wires again, and prepared to climb the steps marked 'Crew Only.'

She paused with one foot on the ladder, thinking out loud. "Only they all had thick earwax or something so they couldn't hear the sirens' song." She returned the sonic to her pocket while she thought.

She untucked her shirt, gripped it with both hands, and tore the fabric. A jagged loop came apart from the bottom three inches of her shirt. "That'll do," she said, dangling it at arms length. She quickly covered her eyes and wrapped it around her head, tying it up in front. She had her eyes closed, but this should help her keep them closed.

She retrieved the sonic screwdriver and felt around for the ladder, then climbed to the top. She only lifted the fabric long enough to sonic the lock. "Once I'm outside, there's no peeking, for love nor money," she reminded herself. The latch sprung, and the alarm continued to blink green.

Lucie took a deep breath, worked the blindfold back over her eyes, and pushed the latch upward into the buffeting squall.


	3. Chapter 3

"Doctor!" Lucie called into the howling storm. She was unwilling to let go of the hatch, not knowing whether she'd be able to find her way back to it. "Doctor!"

It was hard to hear anything over the wind whipping around her, but for a moment it sounded like laughter. Raucous, joyous laughter. But it was gone again before Lucie could even be sure she'd heard it.

She pictured the tower where she'd tied up the Doctor. There were guy wires reaching out diagonally from it about a third of the way up, then again toward the top. She stretched out a hand, waving it around in hopes of snatching the wire that had to be nearby. Still outside her reach. She repositioned her feet, reaching out until just two fingers rested on the hatch and stretching to her limit.

The ship lurched, and a spray of salty water hit her full in the face. She lost balance, falling to hands and knees to keep from sliding along the deck. "No, no, no, no, no!" She scrambled back to the hatch, hugging it with both arms. "Doctor!" she yelled again.

It took everything she had to keep from lifting the blindfold. She spit out salt water instead. "I swear I'm going to either slap you or hug you when I find you, Doctor." She began crawling forward, pawing at the air in front of her like a cat. Five paces, six paces, the ship lurched again and Lucie hunkered down as large frigid droplets peppered her back. Seven paces, eight, she second-guessed herself and turned a bit to the left.

Nine paces—the wire was right in her face. She grabbed hold of it with both hands and let out a burst of joyous laughter of her own. After a few moments rest, she stood up and traced the wire along its rise, not letting go for a moment. The ship lurched again and again, but it was manageable while she held onto the line. "Doctor!" she called again.

A pause in the roaring wind brought the unmistakable sound of his voice. She couldn't quite make out the words, but he sounded like he was deep in conversation, a heated debate. She called out again, but he didn't respond.

The wire had gotten too high to reach, but she had a direction now. She let go and got to all fours again, crawling toward where she'd heard his voice. It came again, louder this time, and argumentative. "No, it _isn't_ all the same to me. I'll dismantle the robots first, _then_ I'll—"

"Doctor!" Lucie yelled again.

"Lucie?" The Doctor laughed. "Good old Lucie Miller! Quickly! Come untie me!"

"Hang on! Just keep talking, so I can find you!"

"Come on, Lucie, I'm right in front of you! Besides, I haven't a clue what to say."

That didn't sound like the Doctor. If anything, he could talk. "What about the auroras? Are you okay?"

"Fit as a fiddle, exactly as I said. My Time Lord physiology makes me immune to its effect. A little to your right. That's it Lucie!"

"But, did you figure out how it works? Why's it make people go all gonzo?"

"You're nearly there Lucie, that's it!"

She felt the ropes binding his legs, and walked her way up to a standing position. She felt his hands, still bound behind the back of the pole. He grasped her hands.

"Now untie me, Lucie."

"But is it safe? Are you really you?"

His grip on her hand tightened painfully for a moment, then he let go. "Of course I am! Who else would I be?" He laughed.

Lucie wound her way to the front, feeling for his face. The ship rocked again, and she grabbed hold of the ropes around his chest for balance.

"It's just that I… Doctor, how can I tell if it's really safe?"

"I see. Well, as it turns out, in a few moments, you can see for yourself."

"What do you mean?"

"The auroras. They're almost done for the night."

"But I thought we had an hour more?"

"You know what they say, time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana. They're fading, almost there… and… that's the last of them! Go ahead, Lucie, you can take the blindfold off."

Lucie reached up, touching the blindfold. "Are you sure?"

"Quite sure," he said, then under his breath, he added, "No, I told you! First the robots, then the passengers, and Ucie-Lay goes ast-lay."

"What?" Lucie said, taking a step back.

"Nothing, nothing at all. Just take off the blindfold. It'll be easier to untie me."

"You're lying to me!" Lucie's voice shook as she spoke. "The auroras haven't passed!"

"Of course I lied, you stupid girl! Now untie me so I can slaughter everyone!"

Before she knew what she was doing, Lucie slapped the Doctor.

A moment of silence passed, where even the wind seemed to calm.

"I'm so sorry, Doctor," Lucie said, shocked at her own behavior. She reached out to caress his injured cheek.

"No, no, Lucie—that was perfect. What I need is… violence! Violence begets violence, and we need more _violence_!"

Lucie slapped him again.

"A shock!" the Doctor said. "Thank you Lucie, that's got it now, I have my eyes—"

Lucie gave him another slap.

The Doctor was silent for a moment before saying, "That was excessive."

"Are you sure? I feel like I ought to have another go."

"No, no. I'm sure. I have my eyes closed now."

"Okay, if you're sure. I'll just untie you then."

"Not yet, Lucie. I could be drawn back into the Collective at any moment," the Doctor warned.

"See? That was a test. I'd have slapped you again if you went for it."

"Lucie, I need something else from you. I feel them calling to me. I want to look. I need you to be my anchor."

"Your what?" Lucy said.

"I need you to keep my mind here. Keep me focused. Just keep talking. Your incessant babbling—no, sorry! Just please, keep talking."

"Alright, but another line like that, and you're getting slapped." She collected her thoughts, looking for something worth saying aloud. "It's cold, Doctor," she finally said. "I don't know if your Time Lord physiology makes you immune to that, but it's really bloody cold out here. If I don't get to those knots soon, I don't know if I'll be able to make my fingers work the ropes."

"I'm sorry, Lucie. You should go back below. I don't trust myself to be untied. The urge to open my eyes is almost overwhelming, even with you here. And if I did, even for a moment—even if I blink—I would be lost to the Collective again."

"Well, how about we do something about that?" Lucie said. She felt around his chest until her fingers brushed against the pin holding the Doctor's cravat down. She pulled it out and threw it aside, then quickly unravelled his cravat.

"Yes. Yes! That's good, Lucie. And it will help to keep your fingers nimble, but talk!"

"Did I ever mention that I used to get seasick? A boat rocking like this would have sent me for the gunwales to mess the water. It was my uncle that taught me how to feel the horizon, you know? Like when I was in the galley and couldn't see it. It was different than getting my sea legs. You had to ignore what your eyes were telling you and keep your head over your feet. I'm sure you know. But it was an 'aha' moment for me 'cause I always though you had to keep a thing in sight to use it as an anchor."

She touched his face, tracing the bridge of his nose up to his forehead ridge, then placed the thickest part of his cravat across his eyes. She spoke in his ear as she tied the silk around behind his head. "You don't, you know. You just have to have it fixed in your mind, and trust that it will always be there."

She stepped back. The wind whipped around them, and Lucie balled her fists, placing them in her armpits for warmth. "How's that?" she asked.

"More than I could have asked for," he said. "I think it's safe to untie me now."

Lucie went around to the back of the pole and worked on the knots. "Was it beautiful? It looked beautiful from the tellies."

"Absolutely gorgeous. But amazingly sad, now that I know."

"Know what?"

"About the Collective. The auroras, they're people—well, of a sort. Energy beings. The light we see isn't just visible light, there's a psychic component that doesn't transfer over video. They spent billions of years traveling the universe at the speed of thought. What I know, I've only been able to piece together, they couldn't tell me directly. They've all gone mad being trapped up there for the last million years or more by a freak chance of nature. They never expected Beldora's magnetic field to be so strong, it's impossible! Statistically speaking anyway, but the universe is a big place, and every planet I've ever visited is impossible in some way. This one formed around a chunk of a magnetar gone nova. Its magnetic field is a million times stronger than most stars. There isn't another planet like it in the universe, and the Collective just happened to pass too close to this one."

"That's horrible. A million years? What are we going to do?" Lucie had gotten his hands free and was unwinding the rope from the Doctor's torso.

"There's very little that _can_ be done. I can't just free them. They're insane with rage, and the only conscious thought they have is of death. They would sow destruction across the universe if they weren't trapped here. I could kill them, and as much as it would crush my spirit to do so, there would be a mercy there. But aside from the personal cost to my soul, I would be robbing the universe of a unique and beautiful sight."

"But what other choice do you have? You can't just leave them like that, can you?" Lucie asked. She was now working on the knots around his ankles.

"I can use the TARDIS to emit a beam of light on just the right psychic frequency. Effectively, I'd be lobotomizing them. They would be brain dead. Still a form of living energy, but no more sentient than a bacteria. Beldora would have its auroras, and the Collective would go on living. But is that life? Is that mercy? Do I have the right to intervene medically on their behalf? Who gave me welfare powers?"

"But, you're the only one who can!" Lucie called out. The storm was increasing in intensity, and she could barely hear herself. She flinched, feeling hands on her shoulders, then realized it was the Doctor, having wiggled the rest of the way out of his bonds.

"And that's the problem. It's always down to me," he said, crouching to her level as a stinging wave crashed over them. "What if I've grown callous, too used to these decisions? Don't undo that last knot."

Lucie was momentarily confused, trying to fit that last line in with the rest of the Doctor's words. "Come again?"

"Leave the end of the rope tied to the pole. I'll tie this end around my waist and make my way to the hatch. When I reach it, I'll give the rope a tug, and you follow. See?"

Lucie crouched silently as the Doctor tied his end of the rope around his midsection.

"Alright. Wish me luck," the Doctor said.

"I agree," Lucie said, almost too quietly to be heard.

The Doctor put a hand on her shoulder. "Of course you agree, it's the only plan we have."

"No. I agree that it shouldn't always have to be you. What if I made the decision?"

"You, Lucie Miller?" the Doctor said, surprise coming through in his voice.

"Don't you dare say I'm not qualified, Doctor!"

"I can think of no one more qualified. But it would have to be informed consent. Are you prepared to hear their anguish?"

"Won't I go mad if I remove the blindfold?" Lucie asked.

"You won't have to do that. I'll show you what I got from them."

She steeled herself for the emotional shock. "Okay, Doctor. Hit me."

The Doctor quite literally hit her, cracking his forehead against hers.

"Cor! What the hell?" Then in an instant, she could remember being up there with them, these tortured being to whom freedom was everything, languishing in captivity. No villain could have concocted a worse fate for them. They struggled endlessly against their bonds and all they could do was scream. Lucie spent only a moment in their hell, but she would carry that moment for the rest of her life.

Lucie's shoulders sagged, and she sobbed soundlessly in her blindness and the deafening wind. Her only sensation was the pin prick of near-freezing salt spray against her already numbing skin.

The rope moved through her fingers, taut, then slack, then taut again. The Doctor's signal! Lucie hadn't even realized he'd gone.

She stood and walked with the rope, pulling hand over hand. The rocking of the ship meant nothing to her anymore as she imagined herself in a warm bath. Hand over hand until she reached the Doctor.

"Here you go," he said. He guided her toward the hatch and held her arm until she'd found her footing on the rungs of the ladder. She kept the blindfold on until she heard the hatch shut above her. The Doctor climbed down the ladder while she watched, then he turned toward her.

"So, Lucie, shall we join the other passengers to watch the end of the auroras, or would you like to retire to our room, maybe start a hot bath?"

"You read my mind, Doctor," Lucie said. "I've had enough of the auroras. I just want to sit in a tub until we're back in the TARDIS. You set things up however they need to be, and I'll flip the switch."

"You've made up your mind then?"

"Yah. It's what they would want."

"Have your bath. I'm of a mind to say goodbye to them, raise a final glass in their honor."

They each turned their way, but a moment later Lucie turned back. "Hey, Doctor?"

He turned, an eyebrow raised.

"It's okay if the next planet is somewhere you've been before. Something familiar to you."

The Doctor smiled. "I know just the place."


End file.
